Two years ago, she put their membership at 10,000. Now, Wilde has lowered that to 8,000, reflecting what she said is an estimated 2,000 or so people who have left the sect. That would include teens who have left the community as well as families who no longer follow Jeffs.

Wilde said she includes those former members in her overall count, because they may still [adhere to] fundamentalist beliefs.

While some FLDS have scattered to other states, such as Texas, Colorado and Nevada, in the past two years, the majority still live in the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. According to a 2006 population count, the two towns have 6,500 residents.

Some of those are ex-FLDS members who have remained in the community; it also includes people who live in the towns, but are members of the Centennial Park group, located just south of the Utah state line.

Membership numbers for all the other groups remain unchanged from 2005.

The Apostolic United Brethren, characterized two years ago as the state’s fastest growing group, still has 7,500 members. Centennial Park is static at 1,500 members. So is the Davis County Cooperative Society, which still has 1,500 members.

Wilde estimates there are about 1,500 people affiliated with smaller groups, which each have 300 or fewer members.